Stem Cell Transplantation in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy Diseases
Status:
Terminated
Trial end date:
2016-07-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
Myositis is a disease, believed to be due to immune cells, cells which normally protect the
body, but are now attacking the muscles and other organ systems within body. As a result, the
affected muscles and organs fail to work properly causing weakness, difficulty swallowing,
skin rash, respiratory problems, heart problems, joint stiffness, soft tissue calcification
and vasculitis (blood circulation problems). The likelihood of progression of this disease is
high. This study is designed to examine whether treating patients with high dose
cyclophosphamide (a drug which reduces the function of the immune system) and ATG (a protein
that kills the immune cells that are thought to be causing this disease), followed by return
of previously collected blood stem cells will stop the progression of myositis.